Sharif Bogere: The Ugandan Lion Roars in Boxing Ring

Unbeaten Ugandan lightweight prizefighter Sharif Bogere is getting attention for his boxing skills inside the ring and his showmanship outside the ropes. ESPN boxing writer Dan Rafael had this to say: “When you see him, you’ll remember him because of his over-the-top ring entrance. He wears a lion’s head and skin and is brought to the ring inside a cage. Hey, if he wanted to get noticed, he has. Once inside the ring, Bogere also makes things interesting. He looks like he has good power.”

Bogere (21-0, 13 KOs) showed off that power October 7, on the eve of his 23rd birthday, scoring a third round knockout of previously unbeaten Francisco Contreras (16-1, 13 KOs) of the Dominican Republic. Let’s check out some of the video highlights.

In the amateur ranks, Sharif Bogere was a five-time African champion and captain of the Ugandan national team. He made his professional debut in 2008 and now could be headed for a possible world title shot and even more publicity, and The Ugandan Lion clearly loves the attention. “I know that boxing is about entertaining and that people who pay to watch boxing want to be entertained,” says Bogere. “They want to have fun. I’ll have the lion’s head and the skin brought in again. It’s all part of the show.”

2 responses to “Sharif Bogere: The Ugandan Lion Roars in Boxing Ring”

What an interesting story about Sharif Bogere.I think he brings a lot of entertainment to boxing.Living the real lion strength in the ring.Thumbs up Sonny,for this entertaining boxing story on a great African warrior.

Sonny Side of Sports is an energetic and action-packed look at both world and African sports, broadcast on radio, TV and the Internet. Since the show’s creation in 1999, host Sonny Young has delighted listeners and viewers with a lively presentation that combines humor, props, sound effects and correspondent reports from Africa and all over the globe.

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